Annealing apparatus



Get. 30, 1923.

B. M. WALPOLE ANNEALING APPARATUS Filed March 11. 1920 Patented out I a EH M. ALPOLE, OFQROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR T NATIONAL 3 OF EBOVIDENCE, REODE ISL, A GORPORATION OF nnnnanme arrnna rus a easement arch 11, 1920." Serial no. 864,87.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN M. WAL- ronn, a citizen of the United States, and resident of the city of Providence in the count of Providence and State of I hode l'slan have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Annealing Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved annealing apparatus more particularly adapted for o erating upon metal parts; and the object c this invention is to provide a simple apparatus of this character, whereby steam may be applied to the work for the purpose of annealing it.

A further object of the invention is the application of a medium of a lower temperature for cooling the work.

The nature and advantages of the invention will he better understood when the following detailed description is taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the invention residing in the combination and arrangement of parts as claimed.

la the drawings forming part of this s ecification, like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views and wherein 2- did lid

Fl re 1 is a side elevation partlyin section illustrating my improved annealing apparatus.

Figure 2 is a top view of the 'work receptacle, illustrating the means by which the cover is secured in position thereon.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the check valve which may be used to control the steam outlet.

lit is ifound in the practical operation of annealing furnaces or apparatus to be necessary to exhaust the atmosphere from the work receptacle before applying the heat to the worlr therein in order to prevent oxidizetion oil the metal. To accomplish this in a simple and efiective manner I have provided means whereby steam is admitted to the work-chamber to first drive out the atmosphere and then act upon the work to anneal it, means also bein provided for subsequently slowly cooling t e work by the application of a medium of lower temperature.

The following is a detailed description of one form of apparatus adapted to perform the functions of my invention in Wh1(3h:-

designates a base-plate supported on 'legs 11 and. on which'plate is mounted an proouter casing 12, its upper end being) ic rests vided with a su porting lip 13 on wh the flange 14 o a lining member 15.

Between this outer casing and lining member is'deposited a heat-insulating filling 16 suchas asbestos or the like, and an outlet or discharge tube 17 is arranged to pass through the outer wall 12, the filling 16 and the wall of the lining member for the purpose of permittin the escape of the heating medium within. 11 inner work-carrying receptacle 18 is mounted in the chamber formed by this lining member, this rece tacle being of a size to provide a space 19 between it and the lining member for the purpose presently described, and the upper edge of this work receptacle is provided with a laterally-extending flange 20 which rests upon the flange 1d of the lining member.

An inner cover 21 is provided for this receptacle and an outer cover 22 is adapted to close the whole, the same being provided with a laterally-extendin flange 23 which has extensions 24: adapte to project under the overlapping locking-lips 25 connected to the sides of the outer casing, whereby this outer cover may be-positioned and then by a partial turn cause rts in s to pass beneath the locking hooks to firmly secure this cover in position to withstand the necessary strain due to the internal pressure of steam.

A screw 26 is threaded through this outer cover to engage the inner cover 21 and bind and hold it in position to close the inner work-receptacle.

This work-receptacle is provided with a plurality of holes 27 at its lower edge throu h which the steam therein may escape into t e outer chamber 19 to form a steamjacket to assist in heating the work-receptacle. 1

In order to supply this work-receptacle with steam at the desired temperature l have provided an inlet pipe 28 through which steam is admitted from the main 29 leading from a boiler or any desired source of supply. This pipe enters the heating chamber 30 and is arranged in a coil 31 therein, the upper end of which coil passes by way of ipe 32 directl into the work-chamber 33.

his coil may e'arranlged to be heated by any suitable means but have shown a gas supply pipe 34 which is provided with suittem erature before it is admitted to the wor chamber 33.

In order to cool the work after has been annealed by the high temperature steam I close the valve 36 and open valve 37 thereby permitting the steam of lower temperature om the main to pass through pipe 38 into the work-chamber whereby the-temperature of the work is graduallyreduced to the degree desired.

In order to facilitate or hasten the cooling operation I have provided a water inlet pipe 39 which is adapted to supply a small stream of water to the inlet pipe 38 for the purpose of ejecting a spray onto the work.

In the operation of my improved apparatus it is only necessary to deposit the work \into the inner work-chamber 33, then posi tion and lock the covers, next by opening valve 36 the steam is admitted to the coil 31 to be superheated or heated to the desired annealin tem rature on its we to the work- 3 F y act upon the work for a sufiicient length of time which is determined by suitable means such as the usual pyrometer or the like (not herein shown the valve 36 'is closed and the cooler steam 1s admitted to this work-chamber to slowly reduce the temperature of the work to the desired de es after which the covers are taken off an the work removed from the receptacle and a freshbatch da posited therein. e v

The device is very simple in construction and is most ,efiective inits operation, and by its use the atmospheric air is driven out and excluded from the work-chamber during the annealing operation thus permitting the annealing action of the steam upon the work to be most'eifective- In some cases a check valve 40 may be used on the upturned end 41 of the discharge pipe for maintaining a small pressure in the chamber 33 during the annealing and cooling 0 erations, which valve at the same time positively prevents a back or inward "draft of atmosphere from the outside of this chamber through the outlet opening. Then again by the use of this check valve a plus pressure in thechamber is' also insured to positively prevent the outside atmosphere from entering through any leak which ma be in the a paratus.

The foregoing description is directed solely towards the construction illustrated, butI desire itto be understood that I reserve the rivilege of 'resortin to all the mechanical changes to which t e device is susceptible, the invention being defined and limited only by the terms of the appended claims. v

i i n 1' annea ing ap ratus com 'sin a work-receiving chambe r and mearis for introducing a non-oxidizing medium into and causin it to circulate through said chamber vfor raising its internal temperature to an annealing heat.

2. An annealin apparatus'com rising a work-receiving c amber, means or introducing steam at an annealing temperature to the work in said chamberfor the pure of annealing the same, and meansfor introducing a cooling medium to the work while in said chamber.

3. An annealing apparatus comprising a heater for raising the temperature of a nonoxidizing medium to an annealing heat, a work-receivin chamber, and means .for exclusively heatm said chamber by the introduction of said eating medium.

4. An annealing apparatus comprising a I r, means for intro work-receiving chain ducing a non-oxidizing medium to said chamber for exclusively raising its internal temperature to an annealing heat, and means i work-receiving chamber removed from the direct heating effect of said heater, means for assing said medium into said work cham r at an annealing temperature to act upon the work therein, and means for causing said medium to circulate through said work chamber.

6. Anannealing apparatus comprising a heater for raising the temperature of a nonoxidizing medium to an anneali heat, a work-receivin chamber removed om the direct efiect oi said heater, means for passing said medium into said work chamber at an annealing temperature to act upon the work therein, means for causing said medium to circulate through said work chamber, and means for cooling said chamber.

7. An annealing apparatus comprising a heaterfor raising the temperature of a nonoxidizing medium to an annealin heat, a work-receiving chamber removed %l'0m the direct heating efi'ect of said heater, means for passing said medium into said work chamber at an annealing temperature to ea upon the. work therein, means for causin said medium to circulate through said wor chamber, and means for introducing a. cooler medium into said work chamber to cool the work and chamber.

8. An annealing a paratus comprisin a work-receiving chain r, means for app ying direct to the work in said chamber for the purpose of annealing the same, and

aram e means for coolin the work m said chamber by the introductmn of a water spray.

9. An annealing apparatus comprising a work-receptacle having a vent opening, means for continuously passin steam at an annealingtemperature throug said receptacle, and means for shutting off the heating steam and admitting a cooling medium.

.10. An annealin device comprising a steam-jacketed wor -receiving chamber, and means for applying steam at an annealing temperature'to the work insaid chamber.

11. An annealing device comprising a steam-jacketed work-receptacle, means for conducting steam at an annealing temperature first through said; receptacle and then.

through said jacket.

12. An annealing device comprising a RICHMOND,

act upon and anneal the work in steam through said 

